3 KEYS TO VICTORY

1. Match MSU's athleticism

One of the main advantages Nebraska has held this season is a roster that is much deeper and more athletic than its opponents. That might not be the case tonight vs. a young and dynamic Mississippi State team. While the Bulldogs don't have a single scholarship senior, they have a lineup that can go eight deep. The Huskers jumped all over MSU in their charity game matchup back in October by draining 3-pointers in the first half, but a 23-point lead dwindled down to a one-possession game in the second half once Mississippi State turned up the defensive pressure and started scoring in transition. A lot has changed with both teams over the past five months, and NU should expect a Bulldog squad much closer to the one it saw in the second half than it did the first. It should be noted that MSU will likely be without standout guard Nick Weatherspoon (second on the team with 11.1 ppg), who was injured in the SEC Tournament.

2. Adjust to the new NIT rules

As if dealing with the sting of missing the NCAA Tournament wasn't enough, Nebraska will also have to prepare for some new experimental rule changes being incorporated for the NIT. The biggest alterations will be a move to four 10-minute quarters as opposed to two 20-minute halves, widening the lanes out to 16 feet, extending the 3-point line by 1 foot, eight inches, and having the shot clock reset to 20 seconds after an offensive rebound. The Huskers started practicing with the new rules on Monday and again on Tuesday, and they said they didn't notice any dramatic differences in their fully officiated sessions. Maybe the biggest adjustment was a few more three-second violations. Still, it will be interesting to see how the rule experiments impact things once the actual games get underway.

3. Use anger as motivation

Nebraska head coach Tim Miles and his players didn't hide their frustration over not only being relegated to the NIT, but also being pegged a five-seed despite a school-record regular season. Maybe the biggest key of all for the Huskers tonight is being able to translate that anger into positive motivation and let it fuel a run back to Madison Square Garden. Mississippi State is a young team that is probably much more content with its postseason situation than NU, so the Huskers can't come out still feeling sorry for themselves. If they do, there's good chance they'll get run out of the gym. If Nebraska is ready to play, there's no reason they can't win this game and take the first step to proving all of their doubters wrong.

QUOTABLE

"Contrary to popular belief, I think we’ve had a good season. I think our kids have played well for the most part. I want to get them back on the floor again and get them competitive."

— Head coach Tim Miles on Nebraska making the most of its NIT opportunity.